The Sonoran Desert is beautiful, but exploring it without a plan can be tricky. To see its famous giant saguaros and enjoy the scenery safely, a local guide makes all the difference.

To help you find the right one, our team researched and compared local tour companies based on their tour options, prices, and booking terms.

From comfortable, air-conditioned rides to exciting outdoor adventures, here are the best tour companies in Phoenix to help you make the most of your trip. You can also check out thesemust-try outdoor activities to truly explore Phoenix!

Tour Type	Estimated Price Range (USD)
Walking & Ghost Tours	$25 – $64 per person
City Sightseeing Van/Bus Tours	$35 – $99 per person
Desert Adventures — all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility task vehicles (UTVs), Jeeps	$145 – $399 per person
Out-of-City Day Trips	$680 – $880 base (1-4 people)
Private Group / Luxury Tours	$325 – $880+ per group

1. Desert Wolf Tours

Website: https://desertwolftours.com/ 

Address: 4220 W Opportunity Way, Suite 116

(Departure points) 46639 N Black Canyon Hwy, Suites 7 & 8, New River

Contact: 877-613-9653 (WOLF) / [email protected] 

Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Desert Wolf Tours puts you behind the wheel of a military-grade Tomcar, letting you drive the rugged desert trails yourself. This approach turns a basic sightseeing trip into a genuine off-road adventure.

Their signature half-day package gives you over three hours on the dirt, with a guide leading the convoy to point out local wildlife. 

We also love that they start at the climate-controlled Wolf Den, with indoor wash-up stations so you don’t drive home covered in dust. 

They even hand out souvenir gaiters and bottled water to keep the desert grit out of your teeth.

The main drawback is that they don’t offer hotel pickup, so you’ll need a rental car or reliable taxi service to reach their New River departure point. 

Ranked #1 in the state and #6 in the country

.. knowledgeable, engaging, and fun, making the entire experience incredibly enjoyable. Hunter was also excellent, offering outstanding customer service and quickly resolving a small mix-up.

The tour itself was thrilling, and I can’t wait to return for another adventure! It’s easy to see why this company is ranked #1 in the state and #6 in the country—top-notch service, an exciting experience, and unforgettable memories. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Phoenix area. You won’t be disappointed!   p.s. The meeting spot is at a local saloon with live bull riding and a large patio… a total win-win!

— Ashley Yi | Google Review

Incredibly easy to work with

… We were looking for an action packed atv ride and shooting experience that would blow away our followers and this day did not disappoint. Not only was Desert Wolf incredibly easy to work with, but our guide Rick was amazing. You can tell the experience and pride these guys have for their jobs and it really shows in the tour. The entire crew had an incredible time and we cannot stop talking about it. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Phoenix area!

— Kevin Barlow | Google Review

2. Spirit of Arizona Tours

Website: https://spiritofarizonatours.com/ 

Address: 2929 N 2nd St.

Contact: +1 602-551-6246 / [email protected] 

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Spirit of Arizona Tours uses experienced historians to lead their excursions, giving first-time visitors a much deeper look at local history. You get proper context about the city’s past from someone who actually worked in the state’s history department.

Their Murders & Mysteries bus route is brilliant for true-crime fans, taking you to spots beyond the downtown core. 

They also offer exclusive access to the Winnie Ruth Judd house, a private place tied to one of the city’s most notorious crimes. 

If you prefer food over frights, their Tacos and Murals option bundles street art viewing with local Mexican cuisine.

Just be aware that their tour bus has no onboard restroom, so you’ll have to wait for scheduled breaks. 

Nonetheless, for travelers who want real stories instead of generic tourist traps, this historian-led group delivers.

Couldn’t ask for anything better

Jarrod is the owner and coordinator. We created a private four hour tour of the Phoenix area and only mentioned an interest in history, nature, art and culture. He gave it all to us with incredible knowledge and an entertaining personality. Couldn’t ask for anything better.

— Lynn Shigekawa | Google Review

We all came away with new information about where we live

Our amazing host, Emmy nominee, and tour guide, Jared, took 4 of us on the Murders and Mysteries Tour last night, and we had a blast learning about some of the deep, dark secrets, crimes, theories, hauntings and people of Phoenix’s past! Two of us are locals, two of us are longtime transplants, and we all came away with new information about where we live and an abundance of little known facts about things that occurred (and may still occur – ghosts and spirits, anyone?! – back in the earlier days of the city… 

— Laura K | Google Review

3. Phoenix Ghosts: Ghost Tours & Haunted Pub Crawls

Website: https://phoenixghosts.com/ 

Address: Business address: 110 N 5th Ave.

Main walking-tour meeting point: In front of the Teeter House, 622 E Adams St. (Certain specialty tours use other meeting points)

Contact: +1 602-842-3288

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM; ghost walking tours: daily, typically 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM; Haunted pub crawls: departures at 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM

Phoenix Ghosts runs nighttime walking routes focused entirely on paranormal legends. They offer an entertaining evening activity after a long day of conventional sightseeing, to give you a darker, more theatrical view of the downtown streets.

They run walks year-round, with late departures at 8 PM and 9 PM that fit easily around your dinner plans. 

For a more interactive night, you can book a late-night ghost hunt that includes specialized paranormal equipment for a hands-on experience. They even host a haunted pub crawl, blending spooky local history with a few rounds of drinks.

The downside is that you don’t actually go inside the haunted buildings on the standard walks, relying on outside views and storytelling instead. 

Still, it’s a highly entertaining way to explore the city after dark.

A great experience

Our tour guide was very funny and was very knowledgeable about the rich history of each place as well as the city of phoenix. It was a pleasant walk and over all a great experience.

— Whitney Martin | Google Review

Great company for the adventure

It was really cool to explore the history of some of the older buildings hiding right under our noses in Phoenix Downtown! There was amazing architecture that you really wouldn’t stop to consider without the tour to inspire pause. Lorelei was friendly, informative, sassy, and quippy. Great company for the adventure. GET THE 4 EXTRA LOCATIONS; they really help to enhance the experience and inspire deeper reasons to explore Phoenix.

— Warren Sprague | Google Review

4. Scottsdale Adventure Tours – Jeep Tours

Website: https://www.thescottsdaletours.com/ 

Address: 8711 E Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite F-110, Scottsdale

Contact: +1 480-473-5015 / [email protected] 

Hours: Monday to Sunday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Sometimes you want to see the wilderness without the stress of navigating a dusty trail yourself. Scottsdale Adventure Tours offers professionally driven off-road Jeep excursions, so you can sit back and photograph the Tonto National Forest. 

Their guides handle the tough terrain and teach you about the local cacti and wildlife. 

When we called to ask about the schedule, their team explained the sunset slot stops at a panoramic lookout overlooking the Great Western Trail just as the light hits the mountains. 

Every driver completes basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, too, providing peace of mind miles from the highway.

Unfortunately, you have to pay an extra fee for hotel pickup. 

And since you can’t drive the vehicles yourself, thrill-seekers might prefer a different option.

The best guides we’ve ever had on any tour

This tour was one of our favorites we’ve ever been on in vacation. Ed and Grace were the best guides we’ve ever had on any tour – very nice, talkative, informative, and overall great. Definitely recommend to anyone in the Scottsdale Phoenix area or even if you’re a local. I would give it a 6 out of 5 stars with our experience and we got to see the beautiful nature and sunset of Arizona. Thanks Ed and Grace!!!

— Dante Srsic | Google Review

Just book the trip

We had one evening in Phoenix while here for business and we chose Scottsdale Off-Road Jeep Tour at sunset. I’m so glad we did! It was absolutely fantastic! The Jeep ride was fun. The scenery was incredible. What really made it special was our tour guide, Jon. He told great stories, taught us about desert life, made us laugh, and even took amazing pictures for our family. We loved the prickly pear slushies he brought for us, too. Just book the trip. This will forever be one of our top memories.

— Kimberly Jones | Google Review

5. Vaughan’s Southwest Custom Tours

Website: https://www.southwesttours.com/ 

Address: PO Box 31250

Contact: +1 602-971-1381 | Toll-free: +1 800-513-1381 | [email protected] | [email protected] 

Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM;  24-hour reservation and information line

Vaughan’s Southwest Custom Tours runs private, fully guided day trips across Arizona, taking the logistical headaches out of visiting massive sites like the Grand Canyon. You get a dedicated, air-conditioned van with captain-style seating just for your group.

Their Grand Canyon itinerary gives you up to three and a half hours inside the national park, leaving plenty of time to explore the South Rim. 

A friend booked a custom photography route with them, and the guide adjusted the schedule to catch the best afternoon light. 

The base rate covers up to four people, and it even includes park admission and bottled water.

The catch is that they currently add a $45 fuel surcharge to the Grand Canyon trip, raising the advertised price. 

Even so, avoiding a grueling 10-hour drive yourself makes this an excellent investment for out-of-state visitors.

I highly recommend booking a tour with Vaughan’s Southwest!

If you’re looking to visit the Grand Canyon during a trip to Phoenix, or even if you live in the Phoenix area and want to learn more about your state and see the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend booking a tour with Vaughan’s Southwest!

We had Mike as our driver guide, and had to go on a day that the weather wasn’t ideal for a trip up north, but we were fortunate and were able to get some good views of the Canyon, Sedona, and even Marble Canyon on the Navajo Reservation. …

— Michelle Jones | Google Review

Will is an outstanding tour guide

My wife and I booked the Apache Trail tour on 2/5/19 and had an amazing time. Will is an outstanding tour guide – knowledgeable, personable and seems to truly love what he does which made it all the more fun for us and the other guests who were also on this tour. It was a smaller group of less than 10 total including us, so it felt almost like a private tour. The Apache Trail itself is an adventure with winding roads leading into the Superstition Mountains and Canyon Lake, where we enjoyed breathtaking views,…

— David Stone | Google Review